Real Emotion
by Jade Sweetbox
Summary: Hikari has been Chase's friend for a while, but she never see him this mad before. What could actually happen inside of him, and how his feelings to Hikari really is? He maybe needs her more than she ever know. ChaseXMolly/Hikari
1. Emotion

**Chapter One :**

**Emotion**

Summer, Year Two.

I was in the crowded Ocarina Inn as usual, leaning my back on the Inn's kitchen counter. I watched in anticipation as Chase expertly rolls and press fresh oranges onto the countertop with his bare hands, cut them in halves and squeeze them onto the juicer. No matter how many times i look at it, i never cease to amaze at how fast he works. Three ice cubes, another drop of mixture i don't know what it is-but i really wanna know goes in, and voila. I have my Chase special orange juice, like every single evening, his treat. He handed it to me with a slight smirk on, knowing really well how i love it so much to come back here every single night. A sip, and I'm in paradise. Tropical paradise. It was so fresh and mildly sweet, refreshingly zesty and very fragrant. It awakens and refreshes my senses.

But what I love the most; it has the same color with his hair.

He watched my reaction with a hearty but short laugh before going back to his seafood doria. I don't know what kind of face I make tho. I hope it's not too embarrassing. He has this laugh that makes me think he's afraid to laugh too much and trying to cut it short. But i like it nonetheless. It's suits him.

"Come on, Chase... Please tell me what that liquid that you put into here already. I really wanna know!", i ask him for the fourth time this month, out of curiosity and maybe a little apprehension. As long as it's not something he order from the wizard or the witch, it's fine I guess. I'm starting to question why i am so addicted to this simple orange juice. It's pretty weird.

I hear him grumbles.

"I told you. No one will ever get to know my recipe except Master Yolanda."

"But it's just an orange juice..."

He turns his head to face me. "Yeah it's an orange juice. But is it JUST an orange juice?", he smiles smugly. That B—... I sigh.

"I took so much time trying to make it at home, you know. And now I have an almost bald orange tree. But it never taste like this!", I pout, imagining how awesome it will be to be able to carry a whole thermos of this divine orange juice in this hot summer time everywhere I go.

"Well, practice makes perfect Hikari!", he said, still facing his boiling pot, not aware of Maya sneaking up behind him.

'Shhh...', she winks and whispers at me, tiptoe-ing oh so slowly to Chase's back, and grab that small vial of mysterious liquid that I'm dying to know what and runs to my side.

"Yaaayyy !", we cheers in delight, Maya jumping up and down beside me, her small braids jumping around with her.

"Good job, Maya!", I clap. Chase turned around and stride towards Maya with sour expression on his face.

"Give it back, Maya. Now.", he snaps at her who now taking refugee behind the cashier counter, flailing the vial around in victory.

Chase curses and goes back to the stove, putting the flame off.

"Hikariii~~ you wanna know what this is? I have magic pellet! I will taste this for you !", she waves cheerfully from behind the counter, lifting the vial to her face level.

"Maya, I'm serious. Give it back to me now! It's not funny!", Chase throws his napkin onto the counter, and i can see he's getting angry.

"Maya, just give it back. it's okay...", I said. As much as i want to know what it is, I don't want things to turn ugly.

But Maya, just being Maya, already lift the vial up and pour the liquid into her mouth, and swallow.

"Yum ! It tastes like—"

"MAYA!"

My heart stopped that instant. Chase's yell filled the room. He banged the metal countertop so hard with his fist, people stop chattering and turn to look at him. He doesn't seem to care, glaring at Maya. Maya only whimpered, looking at him in shock.

"Fine. Do what you want.", he says, turning back to his cooking and put the fire back on.

"Why you have to be so mean, Chase! I'm just kidding around!", she sniffed, tears falling down her cheek.

Jake and Colleen come running to calm Maya down. And from Jake's sullen face, I can tell he's not happy with Chase.

I feel guilty. So guilty. If only I didn't insist to know what it is... this won't happen. But who knows that darn liquid can make Chase really angry like that?

My eyes were glued to his stiffen back, thinking what is wrong. I have known him for almost a year, and i never saw him this mad. Chase can be rude, but never before he showed emotional outburst like this one. Maybe that vial has sentimental meaning for him, or maybe he was in a bad mood. But he didn't seem like it before. He chatted with me like usual, nothing out of ordinary.

He spent the next ten minutes cooking in silence, until someone walks into the inn with a big crate on his arms.

"Good evening...", Toby says. He saw me and we exchange smiles. Colleen hurries him to the kitchen back, excited to see the inn's seafood order that just arrived. They chat there for a while, maybe another 10 minutes. I sip my orange juice in silence, watching Chase's still silent back, as if trying to find some answers there.

After a while, Toby pulls up a big fish from inside the crate, walking towards Chase.

"Chase, this is your order. Giant Halibut...", Toby smiles at him, Lifting the fish up for Chase to see. The cook eyeing the fish for just a glance, make a sour face and look away.

"What is giant about that!", his words cut like a knife. "It's not as half as big as what you usually gave me."

Toby smiles apologetically at him. "Yeah... this is all we can catch... Giant Halibut is pretty rare in summer, but we will try to find the bigger one for you. I'm really sorry.", Toby bows to him. Chase ignores the fisherman.

Toby lifts his now empty crate and walks toward the door, glancing a questioning gaze at Chase. However, the fisherman doesn't seem angry at all.

I feel really bad. For Toby, for Maya, and especially, for Chase. What possibly he feels inside right now to take it on everyone like that? this is not his usual self. I walk to the door, catching up to Toby outside the Inn. It's already dark outside.

"Hey, Hikari.", his smile is calm like usual.

"Hey.", i said, smiling back. "Um.. are you okay?"

Toby let out a soft genuine smile. "I'm fine, really. Thanks for asking."

That's good then. But at least, I need to explain right?

"Actually, before... right before you walk in, Chase and Maya were having a fight."

"Ah.."

"... and I'm partly guilty about it... he's still tense from it, I guess. So yeah, sorry for that. I'm sure he doesn't really mean to snap at you or anything."

"It's okay Hikari. I'm not mad. I can tell he's not in a good mood right before i talked to him... it's fine.", Toby answers, giving an understanding smile at me.

We talked for a while. He tells me that he just come back from sailing for 2 days straight at the sea, and warn me that summer storm is coming. 'the wind is getting hostile' he said. I guess when you're always in the open sea all the time like Toby, he never really has to watch weather report to know stuff like that. he can feel it on his skin.

After we bid goodbye I went back inside, only to be welcomed by Chase's purple orbs staring at me.

"What were you doing out there?", he asks, eyes probing at mine.

"Just... talking to Toby.", I answer nervously, but trying hard to keep looking at his eyes. I'm not doing anything wrong... right?

"Talking about what?"

What is this? Why does it matter?

"About me?", he asks again, with the low tone that sound more like a statement than a question. I nodded.

"You apologize for me.", He says in a cold tone.

I just stare at him in silence, feeling his overwhelming emotions that now directed at me.

"And who do you think you are, apologizing for me!", he snaps.

I feel his words tear me open inside.

"I thought I'm your best friend.", I said, looking to his eyes.

He looks away, and Jake comes to the rescue. He ushers him to the back kitchen and talk to him there for a while. After that, Chase took off his apron, wash his face with faucet water and storms out the inn without even a glance at me.

Too many thoughts running through my mind. Too many questions. I'm in total shock of what happened. We have been friends for a year, but we never fight. This is new. And I don't know it will hurt this bad. He never look at me that way... his eyes were always gentle at me. But this Chase...

I'm not mad. All I can feel is pain. But what I fear is, I know it's not only my pain.

It's his too.


	2. Real Emotion

Author's Notes :

The music I recommend for reading this chapter is Toradora – After School the Blue Sky.

**Chapter two :**

**Real Emotion**

I thought a good night sleep can at least ease this guilt i have for him. How i was wrong. It's 7 a.m. now, I'm squatting on the floor of my coop, feeding my chickens and ducks.

"Hey Summer...", I said to one of my chicken, stroking its feather while it feeds eagerly from my hands. "You look so happy everyday... it's easy being an animal, huh? I feel so blue right now."

I sigh. Again. For God knows how many times in only one hour. And i know if i keep this any longer, i will go crazy. I can't stop thinking about Chase, really worried about him. To not to know how he is isn't making it any easier. So i hurry on, picking up some eggs and whistle for my horse, riding it to the Flute Fields.

It's still very early when i arrived in front of his house, and I can see his light is off from the darkness behind his thin curtains. I know he once said to me he's usually an early riser, but maybe he's still sleeping now... i decided to knock once. If he doesn't answer, i will leave.

So i knock.

"Chase... it's me.", i said, waiting.

I heard a shuffle of his sandals from inside, and he opens the door.

God, he looks awful. He looks really tired, black bags under his eyes and all. I knows his work schedule always make him tired in the morning, but not usually like this.

"Come in.", he said in a low voice, avoiding my gaze. He steps aside and i walk in.

His living room is dim, only a little sunlight peeking from his windowsill light up the room a little bit. I sit onto his wooden chair and put my basket of eggs onto the small table. Come to think of it, this is the first time i come into his house. I always talk to him inside the inn or the bar, when he's busy with his cooking. My farm work and all that stuff usually can't make me visit him in the morning anyway. Today is an exception.

Chase taking a seat opposite of me, looking at the floor.

"I bring some eggs for you.", i said, smiling at him.

"Thank you.", he said, looking at me only to avoid my gaze again shortly after. Is he still mad at me? i feel my heart sink a little. We never have been awkward like this before. He always has things to say, nice or not.

"I'm really sorry Chase—"

"No. I'm sorry."

He cuts me off. I blink at him, surprised. He's looking at me now, with torn expression on his face.

"I was angry last night... but not really about you apologized for me. It's about something else. Hell, it's not because of you at all. I'm just—there's just so much that—"

He's looking at the floor again, struggling for words.

"I have been thinking for so long, thinking, and thinking again about it but doing absolutely nothing. I guess it's just stressing me out. Yesterday, what Maya did was really just a small thing that makes everything... not bearable anymore."

He stops again. I can see he's trying his best to explain himself, so i patiently wait, even if i don't really understand what it is he tries to explain to me.

He looks at me again.

"You are not only my best friend. You are my only friend... and the only one i need, i suppose. I don't care what other people think or say about me. I know i never really think or watch what i say to people, or what they say or do to me either, but... yesterday, i know this might be stupid... but I'm afraid, if you know what's in that vial, you won't come to see me more often like before."

My heart sank.

_Chase... do you really think i will do that? even if i know what it is, the reason i come to the inn was to see you and talk with you... how can you seriously think i only come for your juice.. or your cooking? _

" It's not the reason why i always come to see you. I love talking to you... i think you know that.", i said.

I love when he talks about his cooking in a passionate way that is his, and his funny but sometimes nasty remark about almost anything. i find it refreshing, and it always make my day. He always makes me smile. And it saddens me that he doesn't know how he makes me happy.

"I - people usually just address me for my cooking. It's like my identity, i guess. Aside from that, i know i'm not the nicest person in this town, and i know how they think about me, but i don't really care. But yesterday, seeing you care about what Toby might feel instead of mine really makes me angry. I just can't think straight..."

He looks away again, trying to hide his hurt that exuding from his eyes. But i see it all, and his words slowly sinking into me.

"You are so nice to everyone, But you are all i have... and i want to have. And it's been killing me to not know this... Do i, even a little bit, is special to you?"

He asks, running his hands to his hair in frustration.

I hate to see him hurt like this, and what I hate the most is I'm the one causing him to feel like this. A single tear escapes my eyes. He still won't look at me. If only he knows how much he means to me... if only he knows how his pain hurts me more than anything else like now, if only he knows how much—

I put my hands in front of my face, trying to fight back tears that are more to come. But a few sobs escapes me, and he calls on my name.

"Hikari?"

I do what i only want to do right now. I stand up, walking towards him and touch his face. I can see him through my tears, and can see the pain and concern in his eyes. I give his head a big embrace, and my heart embraces his along with me.

I can feel him just stay still for a while, before starts to hug me back slowly around my waist, burying his face to the side of my neck. I feel so warm, and i hope he is too. This is the least i can do for him right now.

His words touch me like no one else ever has. It embodies everything i love about him; his straightforwardness and his honesty never fail to impress me and his emotions always reach my heart.

"I have nothing to forgive, Chase... and the only reason i apologize to Toby yesterday is because of this-"

I choke back a sob.

"I always knew, deep inside, how you really are. Everyone has flaws, but your flaws is something that people will see easily, and judge you easily too. Maybe you don't care, but i do. I care about everything about you, more than you ever know. I don't want them to misjudge you and i want them to understand... how amazing you really are. And to see them... can't understand.. it frustrates me. It really frustrates me."

"I love you, Chase. I care about you more than anyone i know, and i want you to know that."

I cry openly now, and his hug on my waist tightened. He's shaking and I stroke his hair, and can feel how soft it is.

After a while he calms down, and starts to talk again, putting his chin onto my shoulder. His embrace never loosens.

"I never have any family... someone that cares about me, or someone i care about before. I'm not good about things like that, because i never know how. But you make me learn, Hikari."

He stops for a while, seems to be deep in thought.

"I'm saving up money right now. I maybe want to open my own restaurant when the time comes..."

"Where? Here in Castanet?", i ask him.

"No... it doesn't feel right to open it here, because it means i will have to compete with the inn and the bar."

My heart sank. He's going to leave?

"I might find a city not far from here. Master Yolanda is here, and i want to keep studying no matter what. There's still so much i have to learn from her, even if i already do well myself."

He releases the hug then, looking up at me.

"What I'm saying is, when the time comes, will you come with me?"

My heart soars in a way i can never describe. Is it possible that so much happiness and so much love for one person cause you pain? For me, it is. My tears won't stop, so i desperately cover my nose and mouth with my hands again. He keeps looking at me, seemed worry and unsure whether my tears mean good or not.

So i nod.

And his smile i see after that is the one i will never forget. It is pure happiness, the one i never seen from here before. He holds my palm and pulls it from my face then, and i can feel that his palms are softer than mine. I am a farmer, after all. Feeling self conscious, i try to pull it away from him but he holds it still from my face, his other hand sneak behind my neck and brings my face down to his, and he kisses me.

Just warm, long and tender kisses that say everything left unsaid, and make me feel safe and whole.

We hug for a long time after, until my stomach grumble and he cooks me something. I close my eyes, resting my head on my arms on his table, listening to the comforting voice of his knife onto the chopping board. I feel so whole then, and so happy.

EPILOGUE

After that day, he comes to the farm in the morning almost every day. He helps me water the crops and harvest my fruit trees. I said he can take as many oranges as he wants but he insist on only taking three, taking it to my kitchen and always makes me orange juice from them.

Sometimes he buys vegetables straight from my farm even Marimba farm is just a few steps from his home, and always brings lunches for us both. We will sit there under the orange tree, eating his cooking that i love so much. And as days passed by, i can see he's smiling more and more.

One day, a day just like another ordinary day, When I'm finished for the day and we take shades under the trees, he smiles and says 'I love you too.' , And kisses me.

And i know, whatever happens, everything will be okay for us.

-fin-

Author's notes : Reviews will be very appreciated. Thank you : )


	3. Author's Notes : About Chase

**Thoughts on Chase**

Chase is a character that intrigues me the most in Harvest Moon Animal Parade, not because his looks but his personality. He's always hot and cold, be nice in one second and be mean in the next, but his lines and his heart lines sounds very real and honest. He's the only one that voicing that he has some kind of inner struggle about his feelings, and it is... interesting.

Well i tried to marry him already in one of my temp file. His proposal is one of the most amazing ones coz it's very sincere, but after marriage... boy... those verbal abuse is... overwhelming lol his lines overall are either insecure, don't really care, and when he cares about you he's emotional (in an angry way) about it. He's such an angsty boy. Tsk tsk. Sometimes it's funny and refreshing but sometimes it's just unacceptable. For you that already married and get pregnant by Chase maybe knows his line about your pregnancy which is absolutely sadistic i can't stand it. The second i see that line i reset my game, decided not to marry him for real and try marry Gill instead.

Well, overall, Chase is a unique character that i really like, and since he won that Popularity contest against all the bachelors, i'm sure lots of you love him too.

Thanks for reading, see you in another stories : )

Jade.


End file.
